Business

Protesters rally against Wells Fargo, close their accounts

Holding banners and large withdrawal request forms, about 30 customers gathered on Wednesday in front of Wells Fargo’s main branch in downtown Oakland to announce that they would close their Wells Fargo bank accounts to protest the bank’s foreclosure practices.

Phat Beets farmers’ market starts up monthly bazaar

On Saturday, Phat Beets Produce introduced a flea market component to its weekly farmers’ market in North Oakland. By bringing in over 10 different vendors offering cooking demos, artisans showcasing different crafts and neighbors selling household items, Zach Matthews, one of the co-organizers for Phat Beets, said the flea market concept is geared toward getting more people to participate in the weekly farmers’ market.

Developers plan to revive historic West Oakland train station

Opened in 1912 at 16th Street and Wood Street, the Southern Pacific Train Station in West Oakland used to be one of the three original train stations serving Oakland at the beginning of the 20th Century, bringing goods and people—from coastal workers to jazz musicians—to the region from all over the country.

New Parkway Theater operator considers Auto Row, Temescal sites

If and when the Parkway Speakeasy Theater reopens, it won’t be at its former location east of Lake Merritt on Park Boulevard. Negotiations between a potential new operator and the building’s owners ended earlier this month, but two new possible locations, in the Auto Row and Temescal areas, remain in play.

Kaiser Permanente earns high marks for LGBT healthcare

For the third year in a row, 19 Bay Area Kaiser Foundation hospitals were ranked amongst the nation’s leaders in healthcare equality for their lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender patients, according to a report released last month by a national LGBT civil rights organization.